Door and operating means therefor



M..C. OSTER.

DOOR AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. l9l8. 1,314,207. Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1- 42 2 Matthew ELIIIs'ter w W $6 flfl'vzrzmuf M. C. OSTER.

DOOR AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3. mm.

1 ,3 1 4,207 Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mafihew ED511211 MATTHEW C. OSTER,

0F ROY, MONTANA.

DOOR AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR.

Application filed May 3, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BIATTIIEW C. Osrnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Roy, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Doors and Operating Means Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to doors and operating means for the same and more particularly to a door construction for garages and the like, and means for automatically opening and closing the doors.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of door; an improved connection between the door, a weight for maintaining the door in open and closed position, and an operating mechanism, which connection is compact and requires relatively small space. is capable of adjustment, and is strong and durable; a sliding door having relatively sliding sections; and means connected to the door sections for advancing one of the sections when the other section is operated for closing a relatively wide opening by the movement of the operating mechanism sufficiently only for actuating one of the door sections.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide means for automatically locking the door when closed. and for automatically releasing the door upon the initial movement of the operating mechanism to open the door.

The invention also embraces various other objects and advantages which will be hereinafter more particularly referred to in the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment. the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1is a transverse section through a building looking toward the front end there of and showing doors and operating mechanism constructed according to this invention. the doors being closed and locked.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the doors open.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line of Fig. 1, illustrating the mounting of the doors, the operating mechanism therefor. and the interior approach to the doors.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable brackets for the advancing lever.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 26, 1919,

Serial No. 232,286.

- door.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable latch plate for the bottom of the door.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of an abutment for use in connection with the doors, adapted to throw certain of the mechanism past this center.

Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the side walls of a building which may be in form of a garage and provided with a floor 11 and a top 12 of any suitable construction. The building is provided at its front end with wall sections 13 which extend toward each other from the sides 10 a relatively short distance and form between them a relatively wide door opening. The front wall sections 13 are provided with spaced apart uprights 14 of any desired number and which are arranged at the inner side of each wall section. The uprights 11 are an 'anged in pairs, and the inner uprights are connected at their upper portions by a top strip or beam 15. The beam 15 is provided near its upper edge and upon its inner side with a rail 16 of any suitable construction and from which are suspended, by means of suitable hangers 17, inner door sections 18. A door section 18 is suspended from the rail 16 at opposite sides of the building. and the latter is provided at each side with a similar section 18 and similar mechanism, one of which will be here described.

The door section 18 is provided along its upper edge and upon its inner face with a secondary track or rail 19 receiving hangers 20 carried HIPOII an inner door section 21. The door sections 18 and 2 1 are of substantially the same width, and the door section 18 is provided at its outer edge and at its top with a supporting arm 22 over which the rail 19 extends for supporting the rail. The

arm 22 is of a length substantially equal to 105 the width of the inner door section 21 and is adapted to support the same when it is advanced beyond the outer edge of the inner door section 18.

According to this invention, when the in- 110 nor door'seotion 18 is moved or advanced into the door opening, the inner section 21 which is carried upon the inner section 18 is adapted to be not only advanced with the inner door section 18, but to also be projected beyond the inner door section to sheet the closing of the door opening to the width of the two door sections. For efiectmg this result, an advancing lever 23 is employed, the same being pivoted at 24 intermediate its ends upon a bracket which is secured to the upper edge portion of the inner door section 18 and which projects from the nner side thereof. As shown in detail in F g. 4, the adjustable brackets comprise a pair 0 lates 25 and 26 arranged in superposed re- I ation and provided with longitudinal slots bolts or the like.

27 therein through which engage clam-ping bolts 28 for binding the plates together when adjusted slidably one upon the other. The plate 25 is provided with a vertically extending lug or projection 29 at its outer edge carrying the pivot 24: which supports the advancing lever 23. The plate 26 s provided at its inner edge with a dependmg atflange 30 adapted to be secured the inner door section 18 by screws, One end of the advancing lever 23, referred to as the lower end thereof,

against is connected by a link 31 to the outer door.

section 21, and the other or upper endof the advancing lever 23 is connected by a llnk 32 to a bracket 33 which is secured against the underside of the roof 12, or to any other suitable fixture of the building for properly anchoring the upper end of the advancing lever. The bracket 33 is secured to the roof 12 preferably at the marginal lateral edge of the door opening so as to register with the outer. edge of the inner and outer door sections 18 and 21 when the latter are open and in superposed relation, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is apparent, that when the inner door section 18 is advanced into the door opening, the said inner door section carries the bracket which may be generally termed as 25, forward into the door opening and swings the lower free end of the advancing lever 23 forwardly to thus slide the outer door section 21 not only with the inner door section 18, but also in advance thereof.

'An anchoring or connecting plate 34, shown in detail in Fig. 7, is secured to the lower edge portions of one of the door sections and is provided with an upstanding lip 35 at its free marginal edge adapted to engage about the lower edge portion of the other door section. The connectin or anchoring plate 34; is adapted to hold t e lower ends of the door sections together and admit the free sliding thereof one upon the other.

. The plate 3% may be of any suitable length and supplied in any suitable number for accomplishing the desired purpose, and may 7 necting rod eia-nor be supplied with small rollers in place of the upstanding lips 35.

The improved operating mechanism of this invention for sliding the inner door section 18 into open and closed position, and for maintaining the door section in adjusted position, comprises an operating arm 36 provided upon its inner end with a shaft 37 notched atone side as at 38 and adapted to turn in supporting brackets 39 mounted upon the uprights 1 1 adjacent the lateral marginal edge of the door opening. The brackets 39 are arranged near the upper end portions of the uprights 14, and the arm 36 is adapted to operate at the inner side of the adjacent wall section 13. The free end portion of the operating arm 36 is ofiset as at 4:0 and is provided with a longitudinal row of spaced apart apertures 41 adapted to receive, one at a time a connecting bolt 42 for pivotally connecting a. link 43 at one end to the free end portion of the arm 36. The link 43 is adapted to bear against the outer side of the offset portion of the operating arm and is thus spaced from. the inner end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The free end of the link as is connected by a pin 14 to the outer side of the inner door section 18, and the link &3 is adapted to swing past the operating arm 36 to opposite sides of the axis of rotationthereof during the. sliding of the door section. 18 into open and closed positions.

Arranged between the supporting brackets 39, and mounted upon the shaft 37, is a connecting arm or lug 45 provided upon its inner end with slit sleeve 46 adapted to embrace the shaft 37 and which is contracted by a screw 47, the latter projecting through one side of the sleeve 46 and-adapted to enter the notch 38 in the shaft 37 for holding the sleeve 46 from turning about the shaft. The connecting arm or lug as is provided at its outer end with a pair of openings48, and intermediate its ends with an aperture i9. A weight arm 50 has an aperture intermediate its ends adapted to receive ashaft 37 therethrough, the shaft supporting the weight arm, and the short end of theweight ,arm having a suitable aperture therethrough for the reception of a bolt 51 and adapted to register with the aperture 19 in the connecting arm 45. The weight arm 50 is adapted to lie, at its short end, flat against one side of the connecting arm 15, and the bolt 51 is adapted to clamp the two together for securing the weight arm 50 to the connecting arm to and the shaft 47. A weight 52, which may be in the form of a hollow elongated body is slidably arranged between certain of the uprights 44:, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 ot the drawings, and is provided upon its upper end with a con- 53 hinged to the free end of the weight lever 50. The weight 52 is adapted to normally urge the Weight arm 50 downward.

Vertically movable at the lower end of the door opening is a sill ,bar 51 guided in its vertical movement at opposite ends between the uprights 11. Connecting rods 55 are vertically movable through the opposite ends of the sill bar 54 and are provided on their lower extremities with cushioning springs 56 and heads 57 retaining the springs 56 against the under face of the sill bar 54. The upper ends of the rods are hinged to the operating arm 45 at opposite sides of the building, and are suitably adjusted in the apertures 18 for effecting the desired connection. A tension brace 58, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is secured along the underside of the sill bar 54 for reinforclng the same.

The approaches to the interior and eX- terior sides of the door are in the form of platforms 59 and 60, and may each comprise a pair of spaced planks or rails bearing at their inner adjacent ends upon the top of a sill bar 54 and hinged at their outer ends upon suita ble supports 61 spaced from the door. As shown in Fig. 5, the platform 59 may be provided near its free end with a rest 62 in the form of a block or the like as shown for limiting the downward swinging of the platform when sufficient weight is placed upon the upper side thereof. The platform 59 is relatively short and is adapted to be placed within the building, such as a garage, and is arranged to receive the wheels of a motor vehicle thereover. For the purpose of momentarily correcting the movement of the vehicle when approaching the door, and to insure the full opening of the door prior to the movement of the vehicle out of the building, abutments 63, in the form of wedges or blocks are secured to the upper side of the platform 59 with their abrupt edges facing away from the door and adapted to receive the wheels of the vehicle thcrcagainst. \Vhen the wheels of the vehicle engage the abutments or projections 63 which rise above the platform, the vehicle is momentarily arrested in its advancement toward the door, and the weight as well as the momentum of the vehicle effects the downward .movement of the platform 59.

When the free end of the platform 59 is moved down, the sill bar 54 is depressed and the connecting rods 55 are caused to draw the connecting arms 45 of the door oplelrating mechanism in each side of the ilding downward. The shafts 37 are thus turned and the operating arms 36 are swung through a sufficient arch to draw the links 43 past the operating arms and slide the inner door sections 18 from closed into open positions. When the vehicle passes out of the building and from the inner depressible platform 59, the vehicle engages the outer depressible platform 60 and the sill bar 5% is maintained depressed until the vehicle leaves the outer platform. The weight arm 50 and the operating arms 45 are arranged substantially in axial alinement and when in extreme open and closed positions are located substantially at an angle of 15 to the horizontal. The weight 52 at each side of the building is therefore raised by the depression of the sill beam 5st and is adapted to automatically raise the sill beam and the platforms as soon as the weight is removed from the platforms.

The structure as above described automatically slides the inner door sections 18 into open and closed positions upon the rise and fall of the platforms 59 and 60 and by means of the advancing levers 23, the outer door sections 21 are automatically moved into open and closed positions, and are advanced during such movements at twice the rate of speed of movement of the inner door sections.

The present invention also embraces a novel means for locking the doors when closed. Each outerdoor section 21 is provided at its bottom, and atits inner side, with a latch plate 64, shown in detail in Fig. 8, and which is pivoted at one end upon a pin 65 to the adjacent door section 21 and provided at its outer end with an arcuate slot 66 through which projects a guiding pin 67 carried by the adjacent door sections. The free ends of the latch plate 64 terminate in flat edges or shoulders 68 which ongage and interlock with upstanding stops 69 carried upon the inner platform 59, the rise of the platform 59 is adapted to bring the stops 69 into the path of the latch plates 61, and the latter are adapted to ride over the upper edges of the stops 69 during the final closing movement of the outer door sections 21. The latch plates 64 are adapted to drop behind the stops 69 and thus maintain the door sections in closed position. It is apparent, that when the sill bar 54 is depressed, the platforms 59 and 60 are lowered and consequently the stops 69 are moved below the latch plates 6-L, the latter being suspended upon the pins 67 for freeing the door sections and admitting the opening thereof. A slight initial downward movement of the sill bar 51 is sutlicient to release the latches so that the door sections freely open. When the sill bar 51 is depressed to its fullest extent, the heads 57 are adapted to engage the ground and the spring 56 serves to cushion the sill bar 54 and the platforms which rest thereon, and the springs 56 also permit enough depression of the platforms to disengage the locks.

For advancing the inner door section 18 when the links 36 and 43 are, on dead center, or in vertical positions, the door section 18 has an abutment 70 with which the free end 71 of the arm 36 is adapted to engage. The abutment 70 may comprise, as shown in Fig. 9, a bracket plate secured to the door 18 and a stud projecting into the path of the end '71 of the arm 36. The end 71 of the operating arm is preferably tapered to present inclined faces at opposite edges of the arm, and an abutment 70 is preferably provided for each inclined face for advancing the door 18 past dead center in both opening and closing the door.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism as'described, the combination of a slidable door section, means for supporting the section on a wall, a second door section slida'ble and supported upon the first door section independently of the supporting means therefor, and a connection between both of said door sections for advancing the second section upon the first section.

2. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein, a track supported upon the wall across the top of the door openlng, adoor section mounted to slide on said track, a second track on said door section, a second door section mounted to slide on said second track, means for sliding said first door se0- tion, a lever pivoted between its ends to said first door section, a link hinged to the second door section and to one end of said lever, a second link pivoted at one end to the other end of said lever, and an anchoring bracket mounted on the wall and having pivotal engagement with the free end of saidlastnamed link.

3. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein, door sections slidably mounted upon the wall to open and close the door opening, a beam arranged transversely at the lower portion of the door open ng, a

flooring at the side of the wall leading to the door opening and provided with recesses therein extending from the door opening, runways arranged beneath the flooring and having their outer ends pivoted thereto beyond the ends of said recesses and having their other ends resting upon said beam, and cam abutments carried intermediately upon the runways and projecting up through the recesses in the flooring for contact with the wheels of a vehicle whereby said vehicle is adapted to depress the intermediate portions of the runways to force the said beam downward, and connections between said beam and said door sections for swinging the latter into open position upon the depression of the beam.

4. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein and flooring at the side of the wall'leading from the door opening and having recesses adjacent the door opening, doors for closing the said door opening, operating mechanism for opening the doors and including a bar arranged beneath the door opening, runways extending beneath the flooring and bearing at one end upon said bar, means for pivotally supporting the other ends of th runways beneath the flooring and at points beyond said recesses remote from the door opening, and-cams rising from the intermediate portions of the run ways-and projecting upwardly through said recesses in the flooring for contact with the wheels of a vehicle to depress said runways and swing the same upon their pivots to urge said bar downward.

In combination with a wall having a door opening therein, and door sections slidably mounted on the wall adapted to meet in said door opening to close the same, operating means for opening said doors and including a depressible member arranged beneath the door opening, lugs extending upwardly from the said member into the door opening, and keepers carried by the door section adapted to be brought into the path of said lugs when the doors are closed, said lugs being adapted to hold the door sec" tions from moving apart until said member is depressed.

6. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein, a track supported upon, the wall across the top of the door opening, apair of door sections mounted to slide on said track, a trackcarried upon each door section, a second door section slidably mounted upon each track of the first door section, and means for sliding said first door sections into and out of the door opening, a lever pivoted between its ends to each first door section, a link hinged to each second door section and to one end of the respective lever, a second link pivoted at one end to the other end of each of said levers, and anchoring brackets carried by the wall above the opposite sides of the door opening and having pivotal engagement with the free ends of said last-named links.

MATTHEW o. osrna. 

